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Road to Palmyra (animated series)
Road to Palmyra was the short-lived animated rendition of the Bitstrips comic series of the same name. The series was intended to mainly follow the plot of the comic series, with a few plot changes intended to help remove plotholes found in the comic series. Background When the Road to Palmyra account was rebooted in May 2011, there was brief talk about an animated series. This idea was shot down by collaboration leader, Marcelo, who stated that if there was to be an animated series, it would not be created until long after the comic series was finished. After a debate between Marcelo and Matt, however, it was decided that the animated series would be created much sooner than expected, with its creation beginning in June 2011. For a while, it was debated upon whether or not the comic series would continue while the animated series was running. At first, the comic series was cancelled and given an abrupt ending so the group could focus on the animated series. The ending was later removed and the series put on a brief hiatus for the duration of production. Production The series was made using Bitstrips.com to create the frames for the animation and Windows Movie Maker to animate the frames. Each individual frame was created in the form of an unpublished Bitstrip, which was then cropped down to size and made into its own image file. Marcelo, Zinan, or Dave were then given these 'frames', usually via email, to put together into their own animation on Windows Movie Maker. The WMV files were converted into playable videos, then put together and once again converted into one, playable video. The spoken parts in the series were recorded by the members of the collab, then sent to one of the three members in charge of creating the video. The cast of the series can be found here. Once completed, the theme song was added in to the video (usually leading up to it being about 5-6 minutes long), and the video was uploaded to YouTube by Marcelo, on his own channel. Chronology The trailer to the animated series was released on June 18, 2011, on the YouTube channel Boomaespuma, owned by RtP member Marcelo, and was one minute thirty seconds long. It was an immediate hit among Bitstrippers, as it was the first time a Bitstrips series had been directly animated and put on YouTube for the community to see. Another animation had been done previously by Bitstripper Knytrydr, but this was the first time that anyone had attempted to animate a full-length series. Just under a month later, on July 8, 2011, Road to Palmyra's pilot episode debuted. It was over six minutes long, including the opening theme song, and contained content from episodes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, with some slight alternations to the plot, including the addition and exclusion of certain characters. Other characters, such as David, got a total change in appearance as opposed to their appearances at the start of the comic series. Plot The plot of the animated series did not differ much from that of the comic series. The first episode of the animated series includes content from episodes 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, with several variations to the script, characters involved and the chronology of events. Episode One (Pilot) Marcelo is on the computer in his house, and decides to go on Bitstrips. Once there, he shows the Bitstrippers a picture of Palmyra Atoll, and suggests that the group go there on vacation. While this conversation is going on, Black Doom tells everyone on the chatbar that his blimp has been stolen by some Russian weirdo, and warns the group that the blimp should never be put into the wrong hands, foreshadowing at the events to come. Dave and several other Bitstrippers then suddenly arrive at Marcelo's house at an impossible speed. Dave tells Marc that he googled his address and that the group let themselves in. Olivia interjects, demanding that the group get going, only for Dave to tell her to get back in the car. At this point, Matt enters the house, telling the three that he invited more people. Threeps, Zinan, and Emily are then shown standing in Marc's house. Emily notifies the group that the car is too small for all of them, and Threeps asks if any members of the group can even drive. When she is met with silence, Emily and decide that the group needs a blimp to get around in, with Matt and Threeps adding that they need, not just a blimp, but a Doom Blimp. The kids then decide to use the Doom Blimp that the Russian weirdo crashed into the roof of Marc's house, and they begin their journey to Palmyra Atoll. Once the blimp is airborn, Matt screams "NINJAS IN THE COCKPIT!" several times, only to quickly reveal that he was just messing around. Zinan then realizes that Rebecca Black has taken control of the blimp. Dries asks how they get her out of the cockpit, and Bella decides to talk to her. Zinan and Bella try to see if anyone else knows how to fly the blimp, but are only met with silence, at first; Threeps then appears, eyes completely white, and volunteers to fly the blimp. Shouting "Eyes... ACTIVATE!" Threeps makes her pupils appear, then presses a random button on the control panel, ejecting Bella from the blimp. Rebecca is once again denied the chance to fly the blimp, this time by Emily. Episode Two The second episode begins with a mock version of the Harry Potter intro, before cutting to the Rolling Stones in the Yellow Submarine, where Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood are discussing their plans, and debating whether or not the Beatles will notice that their submarine has been stolen. Mick reassures Ronnie that the Beatles will never suspect them of stealing the submarine. This soon proves to be true, as Ringo insists he left the submarine tied down on the coast, and he is met with incredulous remarks from his bandmates, who don't believe him when he suggests that the Rolling Stones stole the submarine. Back on the blimp, Toast Man has rescued Bella, and carries her back onto the blimp. After Threeps accidentally lets slip an offhand remark about eating toast, he becomes angry and throws her off the blimp. When she hits the ground, she is electrocuted by lightning, and decides to never eat toast again. In the cockpit, E.T. tells Emily that "E.T. drive home." She tells him that the group wants to go to Palmyra, not home. E.T.'s finger begins to glow, and Marc tells the group that his "finger" glows too. Bella yells at Marc, and Emily says she thinks that she should drive the blimp. Marc and Bella quickly refuse to let her, and she becomes angry, transforming into Hulk Emily, and throwing Bella off the blimp again. The group still refuses to let Emily drive the blimp, and forbids her from driving. Elsewhere, Olivia is talking to the disembodied head of Keith Richards, who is revealed to be a figment of her imagination; only Olivia can see Keith, while it seems to everyone else that she is talking to herself. Matt offers to drive the blimp, but Marc refuses. After Zinan asks if anyone even knows how to drive a blimp, Terry Crews punches him, exclaiming, 'This one does, dummy!'. Matt quickly allows Terry to drive, and the credits roll. This episode was to be the final one made by the Palmyra Brigade. No further episodes were published, although episodes three and four were in production at the time of cancellation. Complications Cancellation Soundtrack The Road to Palmyra Animated Series featured several well-known songs, including Bon Jovi's hit signature song Livin' on a Prayer as its opening theme. Songs featured in the animated series include: #Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi #Barbra Streisand - Duck Sauce #I Am Glad, 'Cause I'm Finally Returning Back Home (Trololo Song) - Eduard Khil #Friday - Rebecca Black #Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cindi Lauper #Devil in Disguise - Elvis Presley